Tan (Shandong)

Tan (simplified Chinese: 谭; traditional Chinese: 譚; pinyin: Tán; 1046–684 BCE) was an ancient state in Shandong, China.

Foundation

In 1046 BCE,^[1] Di Xin (帝辛), the last emperor of the Shang Dynasty (商朝), was defeated at the Battle of Muye (牧野之戰) by Wu Wang (武王), who, in consequence, became the founder of the Zhou Dynasty (周朝). Following this victory, Wu Wang, also known as Jī Fā (姬發), founded a number of small subordinate vassal states ^[2] to be ruled by his brothers and generals. One of these was the State of Tan (Tan Guo – 譚国) just east of Jinan (济南) the capital of present-day Shandong Province (山东) which was awarded to Ji Xiao Gong (姬孝公), who was reputed to be a descendant of Da Yu (大禹), the founder of the Xia Dynasty (夏朝), and given the then-new heredity title of Zi (子), often translated as Viscount.^[3]

Governance

In the early days, government policies facilitated good relations with other vassal states, and the economy developed rapidly and population grew quickly. However increasing diplomatic and military rivalry, growing taxes, corruption and forced unpaid labour, or corvée, weakened the small state. It was repeatedly attacked by its neighbour, the State of Qi, with whom it refused to ally itself. Rather it advocated a policy of "enthrone the king and restrain hegemony". ^[3]

Demise

In February 684 BCE, when their neighbors went to congratulate Qi Huan Gong (齊桓公), ruler of the neighboring State of Qi (齐), on laying waste to the State of Lu (鲁国) and the State of Song (宋國), stayed away from the festivities.^[3]

In October later that year, Qi Huan Gong used this discourtesy as an excuse to attack Xianli and his three brothers. After ten days his siege of their walled city was successful, and they fled with 200 members of the royal family to the State of Ju (莒国), where his son, Qiyi (祁義) was the first to change his clan name to Tan (譚) in memory of their homeland which had been laid waste.^[3][4]

Today Tancheng (郯城) claims to be the ancient capital of Tan Guo. However it has also been argued that it is rather the capital of a State of Tan established during the Tang Dynasty.^[3] Others argue that that the ancient capital is today Mingshui (明水) the capital of the City of Zhangqiu (章丘).

References